


Like the Rain

by Lush_Specimen



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Rodimus is there to help, Thunderclash is afraid of the rain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-05-31 14:59:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15121922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lush_Specimen/pseuds/Lush_Specimen
Summary: Aboard Skip, the decepticon spaceship, the Rod squad makes their way across the galaxy in pursuit of the Lost Light.  After picking up a lost shuttle with First Aid, Riptide, and Thunderclash aboard, the crew stops on an alien world to search for energon.As the team splits up, rain is in the forecast and Thunderclash is terrified.  Rodimus takes it upon himself to show Thunders there's nothing to be afraid of.Set after my other fic, Pursuit of Happiness, but this works just fine as a stand alone story.





	1. I Never Liked the Rain

**Author's Note:**

> Two major sources of inspiration:
> 
> This awesome fic: Aww Shit by Dildo_Swaggins_T_Baggins - https://archiveofourown.org/works/14167713  
> Seriously, just go read it first then come back, it's amazing!
> 
> The song "Like the Rain" by Clint Black, which I still think is among the most romantic songs ever! (ง•̀_•́)ง

"Nice that someone decided to stay behind to help with the heavy lifting," Ratchet directed Thunderclash in assembling the mobile energon refinery. 

"You know I couldn't abandon my favorite doctors." He replied while holding up a complicated piece of machinery for Velocity to weld in place. "Besides, what good will it be if everyone returns with raw energon and we have no way to refine it." 

"Don't play all altruistic," Lotty teased. "You know the real reason you stayed behind is because Rodimus went scouting with Drift. No one can keep up with those two, especially when they start egging each other on." 

"Yeah, and then I have to patch them both up," Ratchet grumped. He jabbed a finger at Thunderclash's chest, "If he's not missing a limb, you can take care of Rodimus. I'm tired of buffing out his scuffed paint." 

"Sure thing!" Thunderclash nodded. "And you can take care of Drift!" 

"That is not what I meant!" Ratchet exclaimed, face slightly glowing. 

"But, that's what you said," Thunderclash tilted his head to one side, confused. 

"Awww!" Nautica looked up from where she was curled up on the floor, reading, "you two are just adorable!" 

Thunderclash beamed while Ratchet just groaned and finished up his work. "There," he announced, changing the subject, "Our shuttle now has the capability to refine energon from the raw crystal form. We picked up such strong readings from this area that some, if not all, of the scouting parties should have found some." 

"Well, we're done! Thanks for all the help by the way," Lotty nudged Nautica with her foot. 

"Hey! I am doing important research," she protested, thumping her data pad with the back of her hand. "Doesn't anyone else wonder why an uninhabited carbon-based planet contains raw energon? Because it shouldn't." 

Ratchet shrugged, "Probably just some forgotten caches from the war. Both Autobots and Decepticons stashed supplies pretty much anywhere they thought the other side would never look." 

Thunderclash was helping Ratchet sort the tools and clean up the work space when the distant roar of racing engines reverberated in the shuttles walls. Biting his bottom lip in an unsuccessful attempt to stifle his growing grin, Thunderclash hurried through his tasks, quickly shoving all the tools in the wrong places. 

"That doesn't go there!" Ratchet snatched a socket out of the wrench drawer. Shaking his head, Ratchet looked up at his friend with a reluctant smile, "You know he's a terrible influence on you, right?" 

"I like to think that I'm a good influence on him." 

"Well, go on then. You won't be any help until you get this out of your system." 

"Thanks, Ratch!" Thunderclash waited until Ratchet turned his back to sort out the mess he made of the tool drawer before scooping him up and spinning him around in a huge hug. 

"Put me down, you big ol' oaf!" Ratchet protested through his laughter. 

"Sorry about the mess, I'll be back!" Thunderclash laughed as he released the squirming medic and headed for the door, throwing a mock salute to Lotty who was currently leaning against Nautica and failing to keep a straight face. 

"Go get 'em tiger!" Nautica called, miming the effect of shooting guns with her fingers. 

"Thanks!" Thunderclash smiled, before stopping short in confusion. "Wait... what's a tiger?" 

"A big brawny feline with a multi-colored coat, native to the planet Earth," Ratchet replied without looking up from the disorganized pile of tools. 

Thunderclash twirled around, admiring his own bulky armor and pearlescent multi-hued paint work, "Oh! I guess I see the resemblance." 

"Sweet Solus Prime, you are so cute!" Lotty giggled. 

"It's not like that," Nautica explained, elbowing Lotty. "It's Earth slang for wishing someone good luck and confidence. I learned it from Swerve. He has volumes and volumes of materials on Earth culture. It's all quite fascinating!" 

The once faint engine noise roared increasingly louder. "I'd love to learn more about Earth culture, and tigers, you'll have to teach me later. Thanks again!" Thunderclash waved before bounding out of the medibay and down the halls to the open shuttle cargo doors. 

He hopped out of the ship and scanned the rocky red landscape. The two suns were high in a cerulean sky, with a row of white clouds gathering on the western horizon. An orange haze arose behind a striated rust colored mesa. Two vehicles raced around the base of the landmass before skidding and power sliding across the loose gravel of the plain where the shuttle landed. They sped along at an evenly matched break-neck pace, kicking up a swirling vortex of dust. 

Stepping out from the shade of the shuttle's wing, the sunlight sparkled off his vibrant cobalt and turquoise shoulders as Thunderclash tried to get a better view of the racers. Although the two speedsters were nearly at the shuttle, they showed no sign of slowing down. When the violet and teal car pulled ahead of the red and white one, Thunderclash took a tentative step backwards, realizing that he just made himself into a huge shiny target. 

"Oh no! Not again," he groaned. 

"Comin' in hot, Thunders! Catch me!!" Rodimus shouted over the roar of his engine. 

"No! Wait!" Thunderclash held his hands out in front of him in a futile effort to ward off the oncoming racers. 

Rodimus leapt up and transformed in mid-air, allowing his impressive momentum to launch him forward into a perfect handspring. Thunderclash reached out and managed to hook him with his right arm, spinning around to dissipate his speed. Rodimus held on tight as they spun to a stop together. 

"Hi!" Rodimus giggled and butted his helm against Thunderclash's. 

Thunderclash rolled his optics, smiled, and pulled him close, "Hi yourself." 

"Now me!" Drift cried as he executed the same maneuver that Rodimus completed. 

"Drift! No! Wait!" Thunderclash pleaded even as he reached out with left arm to catch him. Still holding Rodimus threw him off balance and the impact with Drift's speed knocked him off his feet. The three of them tumbled backwards, somersaulting and landing on the ground with a loud crash. Laying in a tangled heap, Rodimus burst into laughter, quickly joined by Drift and Thunderclash. 

"What in the hell is going on..." A visibly concerned Ratchet rushed out of the shuttle. All urgency faded away as soon as he seen the pile laughing autobots sprawled in the dirt. "Oh. I should have known." Thunderclash sat up covered in rust colored dust with a sheepish grin as the two speedsters rolled off him and crashed to the ground behind his back. 

"Hey, Ratch! We're back!" Rodimus hopped up and casually draped himself over Thunderclash's right shoulder. 

"So I've heard," Ratchet folded his arms across his chest. "You know, you two deserve each other." 

"Why thank you!" Rodimus nuzzled Thunderclash's neck. "I do deserve the very best!" 

Thunderclash's engine stalled and his vision darkened around the edges. He swayed and planted both hands on the ground to steady himself. He had gotten better with avoiding fainting spells as he adjusted to his repaired spark, but sometimes Rodimus' easy physcial affections still caught him off guard. He shook his helm and focused on maintaining the steady rhythm of his pistons, just like Lotty taught him. 

"It's because you are both ridiculous!" 

"Awww!" A mischievous smile tugged at the corner of Rodimus' mouth. "You're just jealous because Drift isn't big enough to carry you around." 

"I... You... That's not..." Ratchet stammered before blurting out, "Drift is perfect just the way he is!" 

Hearing his name, Drift peered over Thunderclash's left shoulder, "Really, Ratch! You think I'm perfect?" 

Ratchet's optics widened and a soft pink glow began to form on the edges of his face. He threw his arms in the air and stormed off with an exasperated shout, stomping back into the shuttle. 

"Hey!" Rodimus wriggled on his perch, "You doin' okay?" 

"Yeah," Thunderclash sighed as his vision cleared and spark stabilized. He cast a sideways glance at Rodimus, still clinging to his shoulder, "Sometimes I think you do that on purpose." 

"Who? Me?" Rodimus feigned innocence. “My good sir! How dare you impugn my character!” 

“Oooo! Nice! That’s a ten point word!” 

“Hell yeah it is!” Rodimus replied as he hopped down. “No way you’re gonna out-vocabulary me. I got myself an expert teacher and everything! Nautica probably knows all the words that have ever been invented.” 

While Rodimus continued to sing the praises of his own impressive vocabulary, Velocity stormed out of the ship with Nautica in tow. Rodimus waved and called out, “Greetings loyal crew members! What can your incredible captain do for you today?” 

Lotty marched right up to Rodimus with one hand on her hip and pointed the other right at the autobrand in the center of the teal flames on his chest, “You can start by telling me what the hell you did to Ratchet! I’ve never seen him so flustered. You must’ve done something to upset him.” 

“What! Me? What make you think this is about me?” 

Nautica crossed her arms and asked with a smirk, “Isn’t everything?” 

Thunderclash snorted and Drift failed to stifle a fit of giggles, but Rodimus drew himself up to his full height and looked extremely pleased with himself, “Normally I’d agree with you,” he said with a wink, “but Ratchet did this to himself. Come on Thunders! Don’t you have anything to say about this!” 

“Lotty, Nautica,” Thunderclash stood up and offered a slight bow. “Next time Swerve has another ‘Incineration-Ultimate-Burn Insult Competition,’ may I be on your team?” 

“Awww! You even asked in a grammatically correct sentence! Lotty, we have to say yes!” Nautica gushed. 

“Fine. You’re in,” Lotty nodded to Thunderclash before rounding on Rodimus, “But that doesn’t get you off the hook.” 

“What the hell?! You’re supposed to defend my honor!” Rodimus playfully bumped his shoulder into Thunderclash’s side. “Drift! Did you hear this load of…” He trailed off when he noticed Drift slightly withdrawn, finials canted back, with his clear blue optics fixed on the ground. “Drift, what's wrong?” Rodimus bounded to his side. 

"I didn't mean to upset him so bad," Drift mumbled without looking up. 

"Who? Ratchet? He's fine, trust me!" Rodimus hooked an arm around Drift's neck and gestured with his free hand. "Look, I'll tell you exactly what you need to do. Race right in there, sweep him off his feet, and..." 

"Roddy," Drift interrupted and laid a hand on Rodimus' forearm, "You know I love you, right?" 

"Yeah, obviously." 

Drift finally met Rodimus' optics, "No disrespect but, 'Rodimus Advice' only ever works for Rodimus. Whatever course of action you're about to propose will never work for me." 

Rodimus considered Drift's words for a minute before nodding in agreement, "Yeah, I can see that. I am a lot to live up to. Hey, Thunders! You've known Ratchet forever. Do you have some less ostentatious suggestions for my buddy here?" 

"Cheers! Ten points!" shouted Nautica, which prompted an exaggerated bow from Rodimus. 

Thunderclash dropped to one knee so he could meet Drift’s gaze without towering over the troubled speedster. “Drift, Ratchet cares deeply about you, but he’s always been terrible at expressing his emotions. I can’t tell you what to say because your relationship with him is very different from my own.” When Drift moved to turn away, Thunderclash offered a gentle smile and a reassuring hand on his shoulder, “But I can tell you something that you can do. I know for a fact that Ratchet is currently sorting out a rather disorganized mass of tools that ‘someone’,” he coughed, “may have mixed up in a hurry to catch a certain returning race car.” 

“You antagonized Ratchet for me? That’s so sweet!” Rodimus trailed his fingers along Thunderclash's turquoise armor plating. 

“The point is," Thunderclash shivered and scooted out of Rodimus' reach, "Ratchet would really appreciate someone with a delicate attention to detail help him get organized. Once you’re working together, your spark will let you know what to say, if anything needs to be said at all.” 

Drift brightened at his suggestion, optics sparkling, "I guess that could work. Thanks, Thunders! You're the best!" 

As Drift gathered his courage to find Ratchet, Thunderclash pat him on the back, "Go get 'em tiger!" 

Hearing the phase again, Nautica and Lotty burst into laughter. Thunderclash whirled around, face candescent with embarrassment, "That phrase better not have some kind of obscene connotations!" 

"No, no, I swear!" Nautica managed between fits of giggles, "It's just really funny coming from you! Especially since you didn't even know what a tiger was until about five minutes ago." 

Drift took advantage of the distraction and disappeared into the ship. 

"Thanks for helping Drift out," Rodimus sidled up to Thunderclash. "How are you so good at everything?" 

Thunderclash wrapped an arm around him, "Probably because I have such great inspiration." 

Rodimus beamed while Lotty rolled her optics, "Alright, alright. Before you two get even more distracted, let's review your actual mission. Did you and Drift even find any energon?" 

"Oh yeah!" Rodimus exclaimed and began to rummage through his pocket compartments. "Here, check this out!" He produced a single brilliant rose crystal and tossed it to Lotty. As the gem flew through it air, the sunlight shimmered in pink flames across its surface. 

"Wow!" Lotty caught the sample and turned it over in her hands, examining it from all sides. "I've never seen raw energon this pure before." 

"Here, let me see it!" Nautica snatched it and scanned it with her wrench. "Brainstorm installed an energon quality meter before we landed here. I want to test it out." 

After a few seconds of calculating, the wrench crooned continuously in a deep resonant approximation of Brainstorm's voice, "Awwwww Yeeeeaaah! That's the good stuff! Awwwww Yeeeeaaah! That's the good stuff!" 

Nautica tapped various buttons on her wrench and struggled in vain to get it to stop talking. Lotty shook her head and took the crystal back, holding it out to Rodimus. "This sample will refine into energon of such high quality that it alone could power Skip for weeks. If you can collect more like this, we won't have to worry about running out of fuel even if we have to chase the Lost Light around the universe six times." 

"Whoa! Me and Drift found a bunch of these, but I only brought one back so you could test it." 

"Do you think anyone else will find some?" Nautica asked having successfully silenced her tool. 

"Hmmm... doubtful," Rodimus shrugged. "I know my crew. Riptide is trying to teach First Aid to swim in the river around the mesa. Brainstorm is tinkering on some new, possibly apocalyptic, device while Chromedome and Rewind are busy canoodling under one of those stone arches. Anode always keeps anything she finds to herself, unless Lug makes her share. Whirl and Cyclonus took off with Rung to who knows where. At least I can count on Mags to come back with some, if Swerve and Ten don't drive him bonkers first." 

"I'll go with you to collect more crystals," Thunderclash offered. "That way Drift can have more time to make up with Ratchet." 

"Convenient," Rodimus purred, "and you can have more time with me. Come one, let's go! We can continue our racing lessons on the way there." 

"Good luck you two!" Lotty waved, wrapping her free arm around Nautica's waist. 

"Be careful!" Nautica checked her datapad as Thunderclash and Rodimus transformed, "The forecast shows a rain storm moving in from the west. If you two come back covered in mud, no way Mags will let you aboard." 

"Rain!" Thunderclash exclaimed, changing back into bot mode, "It rains here?" 

"Yes, but that's not unusual. It rains a lot of places," Nautica replied. 

Thunderclash crouched down under the protective shade of the ship's wing and suspiciously eyed the gathering clouds on the horizon. 

"What's the matter, Thunders?" Rodimus motored over and switched into bot mode. "Afraid of a little rain?" he added with a laugh. 

"Yes!" Thunderclash sat down and drew his knees close to his chest. "Maybe 'afraid' isn't the right word though. Dislike, aversion, disinclination, are probably closer to the mark." 

Lotty and Nautica exchanged a confused glance. "First of all, nice vocab combo, triple points," Nautica began. "And second, little rain never hurt anyone," Lotty finished. 

"Yes, it does," Thunderclash sighed. "After all I've been through, the pain shouldn't bother me but it's incessant. Every drop slowly dissolves your topcoat, melts your paint, and burns tiny holes in your armor. Then the caustic mud corrodes your tires and even your rims when it gets deep. It's like being eaten alive by an army of lethargic scraplets." 

"That sounds horrible!" Lotty recoiled. "I've never heard of anything like that." 

"It was horrible," Thunderclash shuddered, "I don't like to dwell on the past but sometimes bad memories come back to haunt you." 

"Primus, Thunders, I'm sorry," Rodimus scratched the back of his helm, "I kinda forgot about all that. I didn't mean to give you a hard time." 

"You know about this too?" Nautica asked. 

"Yeah," Rodimus shrugged. "I can't remember the name of that miserable planet, but every day it rained acid. We fought the decepticons there for a long time until both sides came to their senses and abandoned it." 

"I honestly didn't think I could make it through another storm when Rodimus swooped in and saved my life," Thunderclash gazed at the speedster with awe. 

"That is definitely a story for another time," Rodimus stated. 

Thunderclash nodded but leaned over to whisper to Lotty, magenta optics sparkling, "You should have seen him, he was magnificent!" 

Lotty rolled her optics, "I'm sure he was." 

"Well," Nautica looked up from her data pad, "You'll be relieved to know that the rain on this planet is made up of dihydrogen monoxide, which," she continued after a glare from Lotty, "is commonly known as plain old water. It's a totally inert liquid, it won't burn you but you will get wet." 

"Good to know," Thunderclash replied with a slight smile, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't let this bother me, but..." 

"But nothing!" Rodimus cut him off. "Whenever something is bothering you, whatever it is, I want to be the first to hear about it. I'm serious." 

"I... wow..." Thunderclash stammered. "No one else has ever, I mean..." 

"In case you haven't noticed," Rodimus offered his hand to Thunderclash and pulled the much larger bot to his feet, "There is no one else like me. Not speaking up when something is bothering you is how you end up with Overlord in your basement. True story," Rodimus responded to the confused stares of his three companions. "Since you know that the weather here won't eat you alive, still wanna come with? I would really like the chance to show you that you don't have to be afraid of the rain." 

"Thanks," Thunderclash smiled, "I really appreciate the support." 

"Good!" Rodimus exclaimed, "Because I'm gonna support the hell out of you! You always see the wonder in everything in the universe. Let me show you that the rain can be totally awesome!" 

Thunderclash transformed into vehicle mode, "Honestly, I would go with you even if molten lava fell from the sky." 

"Well in that case," Rodimus shifted into a race car, revved his engine, and shouted in his best Optimus impression, "Let's roll out!"


	2. Until I Walked Through It With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the storm draws closer, Rodimus is determined to show Thunderclash the wonders of the rain.
> 
> Guest appearance by everyone's favorite shark boat: Riptide!
> 
> Marshmallow fluff, now with 100% more rainbows!

Thunderclash rumbled across the loose gravel plain following Rodimus towards the mountain trail where he and Drift discovered the energon. He kept nervous track of the clouds gradually building into a massive anvil shaped thunderhead on the horizon. Suddenly Rodimus wheeled around and drifted a complete circle around him, kicking up a cloud of dust. 

"Whatcha thinkin' bout?" Rodimus asked as Thunderclash slammed on his brakes to avoid crashing into him. 

"Nothing! Nothing at all! Definitely not the clouds over there!" He blurted out a little too quickly. 

"I know you're worried about the rain, but Nautica knows her stuff. If she says it's okay, then it's okay." 

"Yeah, I know," Thunderclash sighed, "I am trying." 

"How about I give you something else to think about?" 

"Like what?" 

"Me, of course!" Rodimus revved his engine. "Let's do an advanced racing lesson today. I'm going to teach you to powerslide!" He spun around again and slid across the plain to emphasize his technique. "You accelerate into the turn, lighten up on the throttle until you feel your back wheels start to slide, then turn slightly in the opposite direction and give it just enough throttle to keep sliding." 

"I wish I could do something like that, but I don't think I can." 

"Have you ever tried?" 

"Well, not exactly." 

"Then you don't know that you can't!" 

"I feel like this is an example of your reverse logic technique that Ultra Magnus warned me about," Thunderclash laughed. 

"It's super easy, just do what I do! Besides, it's more about balance than speed. It will be so totally worth it to see the look on Ratchet's face when you powerslide around Skip!" 

Casting one last anxious glance at the increasingly gray sky, Thunderclash focused all of his attention on Rodimus, much to the speedster's delight. After a few wipe outs, Thunderclash managed to complete a full sliding turn with Rodimus' enthusiastic support. Although his lumbering assault vehicle alt mode could not match Rodimus' speed or grace, he was starting to get the hang of the technique. 

"I can't believe I'm doing this!" Thunderclash whooped as he slid into another curve. 

"I knew you had it in you, Thunders!" Rodimus shouted, gleefully drifting alongside his companion. "Plus, I get infinite bragging rights for teaching you a new grandiloquent driving style." 

"Ooo! Ten points!" 

"Hells yeah it is!" 

Before Thunderclash could respond, a distant rumble of thunder rolled through the canyon. He yelped, slammed on his brakes and spun out of a perfectly executed powerslide. 

Rodimus motored over, shifted into bot mode and knocked on his hood, "You okay? You know, that sound is literally your namesake." 

Still in vehicle mode, Thunderclash nudged Rodimus with his bumper, "I feel like you should get minus points for abuse of the word 'literally.'" 

"Pfft! Nice try to change the subject." 

"Nautica would agree with me." 

"Still not gonna work," Rodimus chided, leaning on Thunderclash's hood. "Come on. Everything will be fine, after all I'm here with you." 

“Yeah, you’re right,” Thunderclash rumbled, relaxing under the warmth of Rodimus' touch despite the falling temperature and increasing wind. “Is it much further to where you and Drift found the energon?” 

“Nope!” Rodimus pointed to a narrow trail at the base of the canyon wall. “We just have to follow that trail up to a shallow cave. Me and Drift walked up there last time because neither one of us could drive up a road that steep and rocky. Mind if I ride along?” 

“Really?” Thunderclash chirped. “Yes! I mean no! I mean I don’t mind at all. Please, hop on!” 

“Thanks!” Rodimus boosted himself up on to Thunderclash’s roof using his gold plated rock sliders and settled himself between his two dorsal cannons. “Onward to glory!” 

“Hold on!” Thunderclash chuckled and revved his engine. He shifted into a lower gear and began the relentless ascent up the rough terrain. “The trick with this type of trail is to constantly keep moving forward. You'll lose all your momentum if you hesitate.” 

“Sounds more like your life philosophy than a driving technique,” Rodimus observed as they steadily climbed up above the plain. 

“No reason it can’t be both!” Thunderclash replied, rocks crunching under his numerous wheels. “Wow! We are getting really high up! You can see for miles.” 

A purple speed boat floated lazily along in the river far below with a red bot stretched out and napping on the deck. “Hey! I can see First Aid and Riptide from here!” Thunderclash blasted a cheery hello with his air horn. Hearing the horn echo through the canyon, Riptide instantly transformed and enthusiastically waved up at them, rolling First Aid into the river with a splash. After a few seconds of watching only bubbles rise up, Riptide dove underwater and resurfaced in boat mode with a very annoyed First Aid clinging to his bow. 

“Guess swim lessons aren’t going very well,” Rodimus snickered. 

“I’m sure it’s harder than it looks." 

"Bet I could totally master it!" Rodimus boasted as he laid back and made himself comfortable. 

Navigating the precipitous path took all of Thunderclash's focus so that he didn't even notice that dark storm clouds now obscured all traces of the bright blue sky. He steadily continued upwards with Rodimus' reassuring weight on his roof keeping all fears at bay. 

"We're almost there," Rodimus fidgeted around on his roof top perch. "There! Pull into that alcove after the next switchback." 

"Hmm..." Thunderclash calculated his turning radius. "I don't have enough room to make that turn in vehicle mode, you're gonna have to climb down so I can change," he added, reluctant to part with the comfort of Rodimus' constant touch. 

"No problem, Thunders!" Rodimus slid down Thunderclash's pink windshield and hopped off his hood. 

Thunderclash transformed and cast one nervous glance at the gray streaks of the advancing precipitation on the horizon before following close enough behind Rodimus to accidentally bump into him. Sure enough, mounds of raw energon, as pure as the sample Nautica tested, littered the back of the small cave. 

"Wow!" Thunderclash picked up a crystal, watching the dim light bounce off its facets. "Lotty said just a few would yield plenty of usable energon and there's so much here. I think Ratch hit the nail on the head, this must've been a wartime stash." 

"Didn't help whoever stashed it much," Rodimus nudged a pile of shimmering crystals with his foot, "Oh well, score one for us! We'll take a bunch of this stuff back, Lotty can refine it, and we'll be all set!" 

Suddenly, a single bolt of lightning flashed, illuminating the cache of pink crystals. The heavens finally opened and rain poured down in sheets. Turning his back on the mounds of energon, Rodimus put his hands on his hips at the edge of the shelter overlooking the deep canyon far below, "Well, here we are!" 

"Yep," Thunderclash replied, crouched back against the wall at the most sheltered point, "here we are." 

"Come on," Rodimus gently took Thunderclash's hand and tugged him towards the falling rain, "You're doin' great so far. You came all this way under the threatening storm clouds." 

"Only because you've been with me the whole time," Thunderclash reluctantly let Rodimus lead him, edging carefully along the wall. When they neared the mouth of the cave, Rodimus stretched out his other hand far enough to let the rain fall on his teal palm. The water beaded up on his high gloss topcoat like glistening gemstones. 

"See," he brought his wet hand close to Thunderclash, "you don't have to be afraid. This rain won't hurt you, I promise. Let me show you how nice it can be." 

"I appreciate what you're doing," Thunderclash tested the water droplets in Rodimus' palm with a tentative finger. "Don't think I haven't noticed how wonderfully supportive you've been so far. Thank you so much for being here, for being so patient. I am trying really hard to not let this scare me, but there's a lot of bad memories to overcome." 

"Well then," Rodimus flicked his fingers and sent a tiny shower of droplets at Thunderclash's nose, "stop trying so hard. Don't think about anything else and just trust me." His Matrix blue optics sparkled brightly as he offered his other hand with a disarming smile. Thunderclash shivered, he was doing it again, turning up his natural charm to irresistible levels. He accepted Rodimus' hand and found himself placing one foot in front of the other before he could stop himself. Rodimus easy charisma instantly overruled all his fears and trepidation. Perhaps that's where the autobots went wrong in the beginning of the war. If they sent Rodimus to convince the decepticons that they could all work together, no one would have taken up arms in the first place. 

Rodimus walked backwards so he stepped out into the rain first, letting Thunderclash remain under the cave's shelter. He waited a minute, giggling as the gentle rain pattered off of his glossy finish. Noticing that Thunderclash didn't panic or pull away, Rodimus took another half step so that the rain now fell on their entwined hands, cobalt and teal. 

"What do you think?" Rodimus asked, raindrops dancing on his violet paintwork, giving extra shine to his metal flake finish. "You ready to take that last step?" 

Thunderclash gripped Rodimus' hands a little tighter and nodded, "Only because I trust you more than anything." Rodimus quickly recovered from a bright blush that lit up his face and led Thunderclash out into the rain. 

Taking that last step forward into the storm with Rodimus, Thunderclash flinched and shuttered his optics. Walking out into the pouring rain for the first time in countless years, he held on to Rodimus like a life line. As the rain beaded up on his own glossy topcoat and began to run in rivulets down his multicolored armor, he started to giggle. Gradually the giggles erupted into a full hardy laughter. 

"This is amazing!" Thunderclash exclaimed as he spun Rodimus around on the narrow trail, rain drops flinging off in all directions. They strolled along the narrow path, Thunderclash stopping to splash in the growing puddles and play in the impromptu waterfalls cascading down the rock face. 

"I knew you'd love it!" Rodimus nodded with a satisfied grin. 

"The rain is nice," Thunderclash gleefully stomped through a deep puddle, "but do you know what I really love?" 

"No, what?" 

"You!" Thunderclash playfully kicked a wave of water towards Rodimus. 

"Yeah you do!" Rodimus winked as he wrapped an arm around Thunderclash's waist. Suddenly a ray of sun broke through the clouds as the passing storm continued its eastward course. "Oh Primus! Thunders! Hurry up and follow me!" Rodimus took off running up the trail. 

Thunderclash tilted his head to one side, rolling a shower of water droplets off his helm, "Why? Is something wrong?" 

"No, silly!" Rodimus ran back to grab Thunderclash and pushed him urgently up the remainder of the trail to the summit of the mesa. "When the sun comes out while the rain is still falling, it makes a rainbow! If you think the rain is awesome, wait until you see a rainbow, it'll blow your bolts off!" 

"Oh!" Thunderclash gasped as he hurried along with Rodimus, "I've never seen a real rainbow. After you rescued me from that acid filled trench, I basically avoided any chance of rain." 

"You hid from the rain for thousands of years?" 

"With the spark injury and comas and all, it was actually way easier than you'd think. I never found the courage until you gave it to me." 

"Well, I am pretty inspiring,” Rodimus grinned. “Seriously though, prepare yourself, because rainbows are turbo-amazing!" Climbing up onto the very top, Rodimus plopped himself right on the edge of the cliff and kicked his feet over the precipice. He motioned for Thunderclash to join him. They waited together, as the rain lightened to a drizzle and more sunbeams shone through the clouds. 

"Look!" Rodimus pointed to the horizon, spoiler bouncing. "You can see it starting!" 

Across the desert a mulitcolored streak of light began to glow brighter and brighter, until the entire spectrum from red to violet glittered in a perfect arch across the sky, iridescent against the gray clouds. More rays of golden sunlight increased the vibrancy of the colors and created a second fainter rainbow over the luminous original. Each individual color glowed distinctly but still blended beautifully creating a perfect prismatic effect. 

"Whooaaa," Thunderclash whispered, a broad grin slowly growing wider. "I was going to give you a hard time about making up words, but I think turbo-amazing just about covers it." 

"You know," Rodimus snuggled close and Thunderclash automatically wrapped an arm around him without looking over, transfixed by the dazzling weather phenomenon, "Rainbows remind me of you." 

"Is that so," Thunderclash chuckled, shifting his position so Rodimus could nestle in more comfortably. "I am truly flattered, but even my bright paint work pales before this natural wonder." 

"Although you are optics-meltingly colorful, it's not just that," Rodimus laughed, gazing up at Thunderclash as his face began to glow a soft pink. "It's because they're made out of some kind of awesome magic that I don't understand and just looking at it makes me smile. Because if something so wonderful can survive millions of years of war, then maybe the universe is fundamentally good after all. But most importantly, because I am so tremendously lucky to have one in my life." 

Thunderclash felt his own face light up and his spark flicker in his chest. He vented in and out, determined to maintain his pistons' rhythm without letting his engine stall. He swayed slightly, but Rodimus instantly caught him, radiating a cozy warmth as he held him steady. 

"Easy there, I've got you! Honestly, I don't know how you got along without me for so long." 

"I have no idea," Thunderclash sighed, looking down to meet Rodimus' optics, a dreamy smile spread across his face. He leaned on Rodimus, enjoying his warm support, then gazed at the glimmering rainbow on the horizon, "I can't believe I never liked the rain."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
> 
> I always love getting kudos and comments!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are appreciated!


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